Is Android Nokia’s plan B if Windows Phone 8 fails?

It’s no secret that Nokia’s decision to change its primary OS to Windows Phone came down to the wire, with deliberations taking place right up until the final week before their official announcement. We could now be looking at a very different Lumia lineup had things gone the other way. But just because Nokia didn’t choose Android in the first place doesn’t mean the option is off the table altogether, as hinted by the company’s newest board chairman, Risto Siilasmaa.

During an interview on Yle Uutiset last Thursday, Mr Siilasmaa stated that should anything go dramatically wrong with the uncertain future of Windows Phone 8, the company does have a contingency plan.

Although Android was never mentioned directly, suspicions lead us to believe this to be the most viable option. Symbian, the company’s former leading mobile OS is all but defunct, with Risto stating that it now has a market share “close to zero.” The next possibility was another side project called Meltemi, which the company appear to have all but discontinued in light of their recent financial difficulties and Maemo died following the launch of Windows Phone.

Nokia has had to make some tough decisions of late, with shares dropping to their lowest point since the country’s adoption of the Euro back in 2001. Following the arrival of new board chairman Mr Siilasmaa just one month ago, nearly 10,000 jobs have been axed, with 4000 of those jobs in Finland and the company’s premium mobile arm Vertu has been sold off in an effort to ‘trim the fat’.

These cutbacks come as a result of underwhelming sales and adoption of new Nokia Lumia handsets and Windows Phone as a mobile OS, next to Android and iOS, despite critical acclaim. It’s unclear as to whether the changes and additions featured in the recently announced Windows Phone 8 will help improve the outcome of Nokia’s predicament. Although, should trouble befall the Microsoft’s mobile OS, we could see a major shift in Nokia’s smartphone lineup.